The United States on Tuesday designated the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), which is fighting Pakistani rule in Balochistan province, as a “terrorist organisation.”
Pakistan has already classified the outfit as a”terrorist organisation” and have been urging the US to do the same.
“The BLA is an armed separatist group that targetssecurity forces and civilians, mainly in ethnic Baloch areas of Pakistan,”the State Department said in its designation.
The department made it a crime for anyone in the US toassist the BLA militants and freezing any US assets they may have.
Welcoming the US’ move, Pakistan said it hope that theaction will ensure that the BLA’s space to operate is minimised.”It is important that the perpetrators,organisers, financers and external sponsors including those glorifying theseacts of terror against Pakistan are held accountable and brought tojustice,” the Pakistan Foreign Office said in a statement in Islamabad.